Just You and Me
by Trinity Everett
Summary: Somehow, when her husband had suggested a quiet, romantic dinner to celebrate their anniversary, she hadn't expected this. Caskett, Future!Fic, written for CastleFanficMonday


**Just You and Me**

 _Inspired by the photo and a post from i-blindside (linked on my tumblr). I hope you don't mind me r_ _unning with it!_

 _Written for #CastleFanficMonday_

 _Caskett_

 _Future!Fic_

* * *

"So what do you think?"

Tearing her eyes away from the plaster walls and rustic decorations isn't easy, but it's worth it for the chance to see the joy on Castle's face. Pride radiates from every pore, vibrating between them with a particular intensity she hasn't felt since the night she joined him in front of their family and pledged to be his partner in crime and in life. He squirms with desire. Desire to make her happy, to make this perfect. Desire just for _her_.

It's desire she returns. Wholeheartedly. As breathtaking as this place may be, she can't wait to get him back to their room.

Somehow, when her husband had suggested a quiet, romantic dinner to celebrate their anniversary, she hadn't expected this.

In hindsight, maybe she should have. After all, Richard Castle's motto _does_ tend to be 'go big or go home,' and when he practically pranced into the precinct at ten till five on a Friday with a duffle in one hand and a garment bag slung over his shoulder, she'd known they were most certainly _not_ going home.

"Castle," she starts, lifting a hand to cup his cheek. His eyes flutter shut as his head turns into the contact, needy for a moment. "This is amazing. I… Venice, Castle. You flew us to _Italy_ for our anniversary."

"Yeah," he breathes, lips lifting in time with his eyelids. His smile is shy, eager and sweet, and she can't help but hope to see it on their little boy's face one day. "I figured we've earned it."

"We have," Kate agrees without missing a beat. If they've earned nothing else, it's the chance to spend time away from the world, wrapped up in each other. Lifting onto her toes, she whispers a kiss across his mouth. "We have, babe."

His hands fall to her hips, keeping her close as the waiting area empties. They have a reservation, but their messed up body clocks and unquenchable anticipation had led them to the historic restaurant almost an hour early. She doesn't mind, and she doesn't think Castle cares much either; the chance to just be with one another wins over the discomfort of standing around for a few extra minutes.

The wait doesn't last much longer anyway. A little while later, they're being greeted like old friends by an older gentleman with a thick accent and seated at "the very best table in the entire restaurant."

As Castle settles to her left – a mere ninety degrees from her elbow instead of across from her liked she'd expected – and offers her his hand, she can't help but agree: It _is_ the best table in the place.

"So tomorrow I have nothing planned," her husband announces once they've had their fill of the food. She's sure she'll be stuffed until sometime next week, it was that phenomenal.

"Yeah?" Beckett hums, nudging her own plate aside.

Castle sits back in his chair, stroking her thumb with his. "Mhmm. Do you want to try to plan something or just play it by ear?"

Leaning her elbow on the table, she considers the possibilities. There's so much they could do, endless things they could see, and they only really have a day to do it.

Unless…

"Let's play it by ear," she says, watching his hand engulf hers. His nod of agreement comes just a moment later; as if it's any surprise that he'd give her anything she wants. She needs to do better for him, by him. Starting now. Starting with their anniversary. "But instead of going to the airport tomorrow night, I think we should stay and plan something for Monday and Tuesday at least."

"Kate… don't you have to be in a –"

She shakes her head, adrenaline already making a slow path through her limbs. She does have to be back next week, but she doesn't want to think about going home yet. She wants to stay here with her husband. "I'll push the meetings back. Let Espo take command for a few days."

Rick chuckles at that, honeyed and sweet, but he doesn't argue. If anything, he's tempering his hope in case it won't work, in case she's forced to go back to New York and be at work on Monday.

Her hand tightens in his, firm in her conviction to do this for them. "Come on, Castle. Let's play hooky from the real world for a bit, just you and me."

* * *

 _A/N: To read the ficlet with the photo at the top please visit my tumblr: bunysliper "dot" tum blr . com slash post (slash) 132405527876 slash just-you-and-me-inspired-by-this-post-from_


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